Large amount of Japanese coins (specie) thrown overboard. The Russo-Japanese War (8 February 1904 – 5 September 1905)

[bobfoundit]

Was this ever recovered?

The first day the war ships were fog
bound. They reached the Corean
straits June 15 and were sighted and
watched by a fast three-masted Japa
nese cruiser. Off Tsu island the Rus
sian pursued a vessel resembling a
yacht, which escaped in shore. They
sank the Japanese transport Idznmi
off Kotsu island. The Idznmi was
bringing back invalided soldiers from
Porn Dalny, 105 of whom were rescued
by one of the Russian cruisers.

The Japanese transports Hitachi and
Sado were next sighted and soon after
the Hitachi, which was filled with
troops, disregarded the signal to stop,
and put on full speed. The Russian
cruisers there upon opened fire on the
Hitachi, crippling her engines and
setting her decks aflame. Still the
Japanese refused to haul down their
flag. The vessel was then seen to keel
over and hundreds of Japanese jumped
into the sea. They were all drowned.
The Hitachi was then sunk by a torpedo.
The Sado obeyed the summons to
stop. She carried 1,350 coolies for
railroad work in Corea, 1,200 tons of
coal, 1,000 tons of rice, railroad and
telegraph equipment, a hundred horses
and a large amount of specie.
The specie was thrown overboard by
the purser.

https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn93067846/1904-06-22/ed-1/?sp=3&q=specie+steamboat+sank&r=0.153,0.753,0.568,0.331,0

 

[Crow]

Interesting find. I suspect the island today is known as Tsushima Island.

Here is another newspaper story. Braidwood Dispatch and Mining Journal (NSW : 1888 - 1889; 1895; 1897 - 1954), Wednesday 22 June 1904, page 2

Charleville Times (Brisbane, Qld. : 1896 - 1954), Saturday 25 June 1904, page 5 does not give enough details.

It appears the action was around the bay below in 1904 below.

The island is beautiful.

Asō Bay from Shiroyama below.

Clarifying what was actually cargo, what this alleged specie type of money and how much.

Crow

 

[Crow]

Hitachi Maru Incident

Russian Vice Admiral Petr Bezobrazov departed Vladivostok on 12 June 1904 with Rossia, Rurik, and Gromoboi under orders to proceed through the eastern Tsushima Channel in the Korean Strait, cruise for two days on known transport routes, and to then double back through the western channel, after which he was to attempt to join his forces to the fleet still blockaded at Port Arthur. On 15 June, he sighted two military transports, Hitachi Maru and Sado Maru en route to Dalny.

Hitachi Maru was transporting 1,238 people, including 727 men of the 1st Reserve Regiment of the Imperial Guard of Japan and 359 men from the IJA 10th Division. Sado Maru was transporting 1,258 people, including 867 members of a railway engineering battalion. Both vessels were transporting a large amount of stores, most critically needed were eighteen Armstrong 11-inch (280 mm) siege howitzers and the train wagons needed to transport them, requested by the IJA 3rd Army to attack the Russian fortifications at Port Arthur.

The only provision the Imperial Japanese Navy had made for protection of its transports was the protected cruiser Tsushima, which at this time (0715) was stationed approximately mid-channel. Tsushima sighted the Russian squadron in the heavy early morning fog, but was unable to raise a warning due to the short range of its wireless, and poor atmospheric conditions, and attempted to close the distance to Tsushima Island where conditions were better. She was sighted by the Russian squadron, but they did not pursue. Tsushima managed to transmit her warning at 0815 hours, and then headed back towards the Russian squadron. Admiral Kamimura, based at Takeshiki Guard District on Tsushima sent a warning to Shimonoseki to stop all sailing, then ordered his ships to pursue Tsushima.

killing or wounding over 30 men, before the Japanese transport stopped and surrendered. About 100 sick and wounded were taken off her, and then she was sunk west of Okinoshima, with those who refused to surrender still aboard. Around 1000, the Russian squadron sighted Sado Maru, and came into sight of the Japanese fleet at about the same time. Despite having just given the Japanese transport 40 minutes to surrender and abandon ship, Rurik fired two torpedoes into Sado Maru, which exploded, killing 239 passengers and crew, but which did not sink the ship. Sado Maru eventually drifted for the next 30 hours until she grounded on Okinoshima. Here is the Sado maru below. It appeared to be transporting specie, money, but what type and how much?

Next, Gromoboi approached Hitachi Maru, which exhibited no sign of intending to surrender. Gromoboi opened fire with all guns, killing many of the men on deck, including her British captain and senior crewmen, and sinking the ship. Due to deteriorating visibility, the Japanese fleet could not close with the Russian squadron, and at 1330 reached the 152 survivors from Hitachi Maru

Passing in the opposite direction was the smaller Izumi Maru, which was being used as an unarmed, but unmarked hospital ship transporting sick and wounded men from the front back to Japan. Hitachi Maru below.

More about the incident.


Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay and Burnett Advertiser (Qld. : 1860 - 1947), Tuesday 21 June 1904, page 2

We are still not sure how much money was on the vessel Sado Maru. Since it was allegedly thrown overboard, it was never with the shipwreck

Crow

 

[Crow]

After the sinking, the precise location of Hitachi Maru remained unknown for many years, and no official investigation was conducted. In 2023, as part of a BS-TBS project (television), an ROV (underwater drone) search was conducted using information such as local fishermen’s reports. The wreck was discovered on the offshore seabed of the Genkai Sea at around 80 meters, and was later identified as Hitachi Maru.

ROV footage suggested that the hull retained a recognizable shape, and that the interior might still contain personal effects, human remains, and cargo. However, due to the fast currents and depth, detailed diver-led investigation did not follow at that time, and the wreck’s condition remained largely undocumented.

Dive on August 20, 2025

On the second day, considering possible future investigations by other divers, the objective was to understand and record the overall wreck layout. After discussion, Isaji and Shimizu used a DPV to circle the wreck, filming and documenting as they went.

During the exploration, they recorded a room believed to be a command-related space with many windows, and they found and documented ceramic tableware believed to have been used in daily life. Seeing the tableware reinforced the sense that people once lived their lives there, and highlighted the significance of recording the wreck’s condition as ongoing deterioration continues over time.

This ship was as far as we know, not carrying money.

Crow

 

[Crow]

Clarification, the Sado Maru was grounded on Okinoshima below.

However, the money was allegedly thrown over the side where the ship was first attacked.

Crow

 

[Crow]

In summing up the interesting story. Without the exact details of the specie. Is it silver or gold coin? And the allegation that the money was tossed over the side of a sinking ship that floated for 30 hours before running aground on Okinoshima. The money could be anywhere over a large area of sea, 80 meters deep or more.

Any search is not financially viable for the supposed returns from a treasure scattered away from the shipwreck site over a large area.

Crow

 

[Red_desert]

Right Crow

 

[Red_desert]

In summing up the interesting story. Without the exact details of the specie. Is it silver or gold coin? And the allegation that the money was tossed over the side of a sinking ship that floated for 30 hours before running aground on Okinoshima. The money could be anywhere over a large area of sea, 80 meters deep or more.

Any search is not financially viable for the supposed returns from a treasure scattered away from the shipwreck site over a large area.

Crow

Fuel cost alone, will be a concern right now for any shipwreck salvage efforts done anywhere.

 

[Crow]

Fuel cost alone, will be a concern right now for any shipwreck salvage efforts done anywhere.

Hell yeah, I just filled up my tank. It cost me an arm and a leg.

Crow

 

[Red_desert]

Hell yeah, I just filled up my tank. It cost me an arm and a leg.

Crow

Experts are now saying, it will be months before damaged oil infrastructure, can get back operating again.